Dundee City Council £20 million cuts : Freedom of Information request over “Secrecy and Silence Committee”

20 November 2010

Labour has lodged a Freedom of Information request to Dundee City Council to make public the workings of its Changing for the Future Board which meets on a “private and confidential basis” to oversee the forthcoming cuts in council budgets.

Details of agendas, minutes, background papers and reports prepared for the Board have been requested to be made public.

Marlyn Glen MSP said,

” The city faces unparalleled £20 million cuts in council services next year to achieve the council tax freeze ordered by the SNP

“The public and the media have the right to demand that all possible information related to the Board’s deliberations be made public.

“The SNP, however, prefer secrecy and silence.

“All of the other political parties on the council quite correctly refused to participate in the confidentiality and concealment that characterises the operations of the SNP’s Board.

“This Board does not work in the interests of Dundee.

“It works in the interests of the SNP.”

Ms Glen added,

” The heavy irony of the behaviour of this Secrecy and Silence Board are the remarks of SNP Deputy Leader Nicola Sturgeon earlier this year.

” She said that the public had a right to expect ‘openness and transparency which is exactly what they’ll get with strong local and national champions from the SNP’ ”